Female Cyclists

[HumesC]

Hi Karen,

Thanks for the advice - all info gratefully received! I'm looking into the various options on Affiliation at the moment which seems to be the course of action that's most sensible. Also reading all the very good legal guidance documents.

I'm musing on Best Practice and Risk Assessments too whilst working this morning. It is a complicated thing, isn't it!

Kind Regards,

Cath

[Mossy]

My wife has successfully persuaded a few of her female colleagues to join her on informal rides. This negates the issues Karen has raised with regard to insurance etc. The thought of being affiliated to the CTC isn't something that fills her with confidence as the CTC has nothing to offer in return.
I am beginning to wonder why I rejoined the CTC.

[John S]

Mossy - you're obviously cycling in the wrong place!

Central London CTC runs rides of all standards. We have a star grading system from one 25-mile pootle to four 60 miles thrashing up hills at training speed.

On some rides, especially the two- and three-star ones - women outnumber the men. And some of them are fast!

[tee-ell]

the increase in colour choice for cycle frame in recent years is making it more difficult for the gilrlies to make up their minds therefore they lose interest. when black was all you got the choice was much easier.

j clarkson (mr)

[HumesC]

See, those last 2 comments say it all really. Beginners and those who are unfit do not see 25 miles as a "pootle" in any way, shape or form! And again, the comment about "some of them are fast!"

There's the competitive obsession that scares people off - right there.

As for the Clarkson comment, well, I can only guess you are making a clumsy attempt to emulate your TV namesake. That comment was in extremely poor taste.

[Gillie]

Precisely! 25 miles seems an awful long way to pootle.
Why is it that hardened cyclists forget what it was like when they started out?
Also, why do some of them think they know what is best for moderate beginners?

[HumesC]

Y'know Gillie, I think we're just going to have to organise the kind of cycling groups we want, affiliate to CTC, then we get organiser's insurance and advertising in CTC's mag if we want.

Then CTC caters for beginners! As people move up the ability scale then I guess you can go for the grades talked about above, but I guess the thing is that the club must not forget where it came from, and remember that beginners are the future of the club and where we all started!

I've emailed CTC about affiliation. I have all Winter to organise something.

[gar]

Cranleigh up to Leith hill tower and back is about 16miles; even that is quite a lot for beginners.
You could just show off your bikes to each other first club meeting and not go ride at all.

It is very easy indeed to forget that many people are not aware what they are capable of on a bike.... of what can be done, and HOW it can be done.

[TJ]

My wife started cycling in 1994, shortly after we met. The first rides she undertook were just a couple of miles to re-acquaint herself with bicycles.
Little and often was how she did it, and longer rides were not long in coming. At first, frequent stops were the order of the day, but these grew fewer as she progressed. It really is a question of getting your body used to it, however, I can't imagine any local group/club having the patience to see a newcomer through this period of growth.

[mas051]

I still remember my first "tour". I was 7 years old, day one was 7 miles, day two was about 15, and by day three we did the 22 back as a long weekend. I fully accept that beginner rides should be the sort I started on with my father, an 8 mile loop through windsor great park which would take between 1 and 1.5 hours with my younger sister setting the pace. when we went on further later tours the average days were upto 40 miles and the pace about 7miles an hour. The best way to make sure the beginner rides are suitable for a beginner or less competative riders is to have a child of between 8 and 13 along. They need regular rests, set a slower pace and every adult there knows that there is no self contiousness.

Matthew

[Gillie]

What a great idea! I'll borrow a friends daughter.
Seriously, there are obviously a lot of us with similar views, so you'd think the CTC would take note, and at least come up with some ideas.

[nella]

You know. It's hardly rocket science. Have a really good breakfast and forget diets for your early bike rides all engines need fuel get into a low gear your not racing!
Just ride by time--15 mins out; then come back--adjusting times for for wind conditions. Try to get out before boot sale traffic, perhaps even jump on a train to some pleasant starting point. Take a spanner to adjust your bars and seat to find satisfactory positions by trial and error.
Don't get hungry or thristy, because it will sap your confidence. Take a companion. By the afternoon, if you didn't stay out, and if you've got the time, you'll be out again, or kicking your heels wishing the weather would brighten up.--

[Gillie]

I've just bought a spinning/exercise bike for my spare room and hope to do about 1 hr a night instead of watching telly. Hopefully this will have an effect on my fitness so I will be more prepared come the spring.
I know it isn't the perfect solution, but I don't feel confident on my own after dark, and it's usually after six when I get home.
By the time I have eaten it is getting quite late.

[gar]

How close are you to the downs link Gillie I don't quite remember how close it is to Cran?

a section of that with a pub stop in June is excellent for people who worry about traffic, and for anybody who enjoys... that is the old Steyning to
Guildford railway track.... cycleable all the way,
or any part on hardish gravel track.

You could even test it for winter use. I think it drains very well.

[gar]

Sorry ...............Cath